On Vulture Street just up from The Cupcake Parlour and before the strangely out of place Asian…read moregrocer sits 'The Happy Cabin'. Walking through the doors you're greeted by a carefully collected emporium of unique, kitsch and Etsy-esque wares. The stores motto says: "A haven for sexy lumberjacks, dorky girls and lovers of worldly design and trinketry." Couldn't have said it better myself. There's the mint green brogues, the gold boots, Field Notes pencils and notebooks and a geometric print onesie that I imagine is only able to be worn by a Ginger bearded man with a fox hat on his head. As I'm distracted by the wonderful eye candy within this absolutely happy cabin I chatter with the owner's partner, Jaime and this is all part of the experience. It is so inviting and homely, as a cabin might be, and I want to pull up a chair, grab a coffee and continue nattering away. Truth be told, the space would be rather fitting for a in-store cafe and maybe even a roasty faux fire to give a true cabin feel. And points to the owners for creating a store where you walk out feeling happy, creative, embracing your dorkiness and plotting how you might acquire a few more things from their range. Joining venues like The End, I think The Happy Cabin will be one of the first in a line of new additions to West End that will only add to the revitalisation of this end of Vulture Street.

The Happy Cabin have been picky and choosy with their stock, not having a ridiculously large range…read morebut being 100% behind every item they've decided to sell. I was pleased to correctly identify the shoes and bags as coming from ex-Etsy store Golden Ponies, where everything is beautifully handmade in Mexico. The gent behind the counter informed me that almost everything in the Happy Cabin comes from Etsy sellers, so that's pretty great. Having such a small and hand-picked collection of wares, I'd love to see a couple of plus-size items on the racks too. There are only so many bags, shoes and notebooks I can pick up while glancing at the stacks of clothes racks I can't buy from. Speaking of notebooks, though... I'm a stationery addict, and I couldn't leave without letting myself buy the limited edition National Crop Edition of Field Notes memo books. It was nice to observe that there isn't a ridiculous retail markup on any of the items in store, either - stay off etsy and just visit the Happy Cabin, Brisbane.

You know a place is going to be good when it catches your eye as you have a casual breakfast. I…read morealready have pretty high expectations of Wilston, simply because I've heard countless enthusiastic rants about how spectacular it is. Abode impressed me more than other homeware stores because rather than just sticking to your run of the mill selection, this place is a treasure trove if really lovely and special things. It's very sophisticated and yet equally accessible, with nothing tacky in sight. Being slightly obsessive compulsive, I greatly appreciated the fact that everything was colour coordinated, and Abode's layout of its wares blended so well from one section to another. I was particularly delighted by the high quality leather bags and the fuzzy wall paintings that greet you as you walk in. And forget conventional air fresheners for cars, at Abode they are called car aromatherapy accessories. Brilliant. This place is the perfect blend of cute, quaint, and cultured, and I zeroed in very quickly on a Grace Kelly book I saw in a far corner. But there are other books too and handmade cards that would impress any stern mother-in-law. Plus a truly gorgeous set of tree-shaped earrings that I couldn't pull away from. I walked out with far too much but with an immensely satisfied feeling. Classic Wilston, always producing a charming little place that not many people are aware of, but that everyone should know about.

Make no mistake, Abode and Bod is a homewares store- the nose Knows. Even if the smell of scented…read morecandles hits you upon entry, it's not overpowering. It makes the perfect introduction. Aesthetically, looking at the goods in the store is like a massage for the eyes. Items are organized into certain colour tones and pallets. It may look a little chaotic but there's a beauty to this madness. Cooling hues of grays blend into warm earth textures that then flow to vibrant greens and fresh blues surrounding a table with red themed objects. Due to this arrangement, as you follow the colour swatches around the room, you are able to gain an idea of what will work in your own home. So if you're looking for a few pieces to bring a room together the organisation in Abode has made it easy for you to find something for your aesthetic. Besides to the typical homeware apparel Abode also has a wide range of items that would make great presents for a loved one or gifts for yourself. This eclectic treasure trove has everything from eco-friendly jewelry, casual ladies clothing to interesting books for coffee tables. The thing that I liked about shopping here was that the staff weren't pressure sellers, they just let me drift through and dig around until I found what I was looking for. If I had a question they were really helpful. Abode is a homely store with an eclectic and suburban arts feel to it, go visit.

The black and white polka dot dress adorning a mannequin outside the store sets the mood for the…read moretheme of the store - combining aspects of 1950's fashion with edgy Rockabilly and vintage jewellery. There's leopard print; skin-tight numbers; roller derby outfits; handmade jewellery featuring the likes of worn buttons and quirky badges, and Dorothy-esque red sparkly heels. Everything in this store has been handmade by the owners and really reflects their unique style and creativity. Oh, and the prices are reasonable too!

It makes sense to me that an op shop represents the area it's in. Clayfield has something of a…read morereputation for being a hoity-toity sort of area, and so doesn't it make perfect sense that it's Vinnies sells more boutique items than bargain? Clayfield Vinnies has even gone to the lengths to arrange it's shop in a similar vein to a boutique store. You're not going to find stuff piled upon stuff here. Everything is orderly, skirts with skirts, cups with cups, the red clothes flow into the pink and then the purple... It's quite well presented and easily navigable. If the shops' appearance didn't signal upmarket to you, then the formal dress section should have. So should the design tags on some of the clothes you're browsing through. It was such a satisfying visit. I was bent over with the weight of the clothes I was carrying to the dressing rooms. There is so much great stock in here! The best part is that it's reasonably priced. If it's a designer piece, you'll pay a little more than the standard prices, but not much more. They've got five rooms of wares to sell, so put aside a little bit of time to go in there. Men might be pleasantly surprised by what they'll find in the men's section/room. Clayfield Vinnies doesn't really have much to offer in the way of homewares, but there is a small shrine per se, paying homage to more classical op shops with their mountains of tupperware strewn across the shop. What an unexpected find this op shop was. Because I was in Clayfield, I assumed that I wasn't in prime op shopping territory. As I left the store holding a new assymetrical linen brown skirt ($4) in one hand and little black dress ($6) in the other, I realised I was wrong.

This Vinnies rocks!…read more After a tour of Northside op-shops, this little spot was a stand out. The store was really well laid-out and organised with care and thought. The staff clearly knew what they were doing and took pride in their work. We picked up a few items and found the prices fair, especially compared to some of the bigger op-shops we later visited. We were also surprised with the music selection playing; the usual 97.3FM was cast aside in favour of Triple J, which the older ladies didn't seem to mind. Perhaps this is just a sign of suave staff who know their market. I like to think they exclaimed once we'd left and switched it over to a classics station.

This menswear shop manages to pull off a bit of 'discount outlet' vibe while still managing to feel…read morehigh end (well, at least to me). They stock all the conventional standbys in business wear as well as some cool variations on the traditional which will appeal to the fashion forward corporate types. I went there to buy a couple of new shirts before a job interview a few years ago and came away with two shiny new additions to my wardrobe and surprisingly, change from $100. One of the finds, a fine white cotton number with a small collar and buttons down to the navel, has become one of my favourites for its casual yet stylish look and comfortable feel. Oh and yes, I got the job.

We walked in not needing a Thing. But what we Found was the…read moremost beautiful, quality menswear. My son fell in love with suit pants and the were tailored to him on the spot. The women (yes, three women) who waited on us, were so warm and lovely! We will definitely be back! Thank you for a terrific shopping experience!

Oh, Cue, how I love thee. Made in Australia, Fabric from Europe. You pay for that kind of quality…read morebut it's not out of this world expensive, which I appreciate. Their "Cue in the City" branch I am not as much a big fan of (it's cheaper but also cheaper quality) so I prefer Cue itself. They do go through seasons of being awesome and then seasons of being crappy, but when they are on, they are on fire. And they do have sales pretty frequently, so keep your eyes open. I have purchased some truly beautiful items from here which have lasted for years so I definitely recommend. I have been in this particular store several times and the staff have always been great. Not too pushy but happy to give advice/options if asked. And willing to see if another store has the right size.

Women and Men clothing. Jewellery. Knick Knacks. A fun little place to spend your hard earned…read moredollars on cute, trendy and cool stuff. Expect laser cut perspex/metal earrings and pins, moustache covered objects, eggcups and mugs that are animal heads, interesting stationery. My favourite I've seen is the giant crumpled 'disposable cup' vase in green glass. Pigeonhole has another store over at Macarthur Central, across the road. Parking in the Wintergarden carpark.

Thousand Island Dressing; ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod. My attention was split five thousand different…read moreways walking in here because there are literally so many beautiful things everywhere. You walk in and straight away there are shelves and shelves of jewellery in every style and colour to greet and entice you. They have the most incredible range of jewellery with pieces that are adorable, in particular a teapot/teacup set of earrings and floral headbands that you just can't find anywhere else. There was even a silver necklace with an envelope that opened with a letter inside. Cute! The jewellery is colour coordinated, making it very easy to find pieces you want and match them to anything you have in mind. They have bags, wallets, soaps, books, pillows, lights, jewellery holders, literally everything! The place has been converted from an old Paddington house and the fixtures that decorate it mesh so well with the very pretty and very original items. French brand Taratata Bijou is also featured and they have quite a big range of cufflinks for the boys too. You pay a little more here but it leaves you feeling like you've spoilt yourself to something special. Everything is ornate and really gorgeous - perfect for gift ideas and birthday presents. They even have aluminium Christmas decorations for the season. They cover homewares, accessories, and jewellery and you definitely won't find it difficult to find something here; the problem is settling on just one thing.

I am very sorry to sound like a grouch but I just do not get the big deal about this place. Yes, it…read moreis colourful and beads are falling out of every angle. Yes, it does sell nice jewellery that I probably would like to wear. And yes, you could probably find a nice gift for someone here. All of these positive points do not change the fact that I have had awful customer service from this place. So much that it has put me off going there altogether. Ok, so here is the scenario that has happened more than once. You walk in, there are a couple of staff members standing in the corner gossiping away. Usually this does not bother me that much even though I know it is not considered to be good customer service. When I actually go to counter to pay and actually have to wait 5 minutes for someone who is not busy at all to serve me, that is what annoys me! When you try to make small talk with the sales assistance, you just get ignored! I am not the only person who find their customer service awful, my sister has had a similar experience. Maybe I'm just being sensitive or have only been to the store during bad times, but this place needs to consider opinions like mine. I'm not asking for the best service of my life, but a little bit of service with a smile would be nice.